Anwar's Case: PM Gives Assurance On Safety For Everyone

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- The government Tuesday gave an assurance on the safety of everyone linked to the allegation of sodomy involving Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) advisor Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the country's law would certainly be enforced to ensure the safety of everyone involved.

"That was what was said by (Datin Seri) Wan Azizah. She feels insecure. That's what they feel. But on the part of the government, we want to ensure that whoever is involved in the case, whether the complainant or the accused, will be safe and the law ensures their safety," he said.

He said this to reporters after a meeting with PKR president who is also Anwar's wife, Datin Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, at his office at Parliament House, here Tuesday.

Abdullah said that at the meeting, Dr Wan Azizah had informed him about the case involving her husband and had asked the government to ensure that her husband was safe and there would not be any cruelty in the investigation process.

Referring to Dr Wan Azizah's doubts about the role of Attorney-General Tan Sri Abdul Gani Patail and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Musa Hassan in investigating the latest case on Anwar, Abdullah said the matter did not arise.

"I wish to emphasise here that both of them (Abdul Gani dan Musa) are professionals, they have their respective tasks and responsibilities, (they) must know how to discharge their responsibilities properly and according to the law and will not cause anything to happen that will violate the law," he stressed.

Abdullah conceded that Wan Azizah had expressed her doubts following Abdul Gani's and Musa's involvement during the investigation on the sodomy case against Anwar in 1998.

At that time, Abdul Gani was the Senior Prosecutor while Musa was the Investigating Officer in the case.

Asked whether the two men would continue to be involved in the investigation on the PKR advisor, Abdullah said: "At the moment, I am not certain who will conduct the investigation, but what I know is the top police officer from the Criminal Division will head the investigation to be carried out".

Meanwhile, Abdullah pointed out that he would not interfere in the case to ensure that the investigation would proceed smoothly as he had confidence in the authorities.

Asked whether an investigation would be carried out on Abdul Gani and Musa following the police report by Anwar against the two Tuesday, Abdullah said it was the responsibility of the police to investigate if there was any basis in the report.

Anwar Tuesday made a police report on the falsification of the statement involving the assault on him by former Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor while under police custody about 10 years ago.

The police report was lodged at the Selangor Contingent Police headquarters (IPK), in Shah Alam at about 3pm.

Asked on the allegation by the PKR leader that she received intelligence reports from a neighbouring country issuing a warning of a death threat on Anwar, Abdullah said if it was true, they should lodge a police report.

"If they have anything that concerns the safety of or a threat to Anwar, then they should lodge a genuine report with the police," he said.

Asked whether the death threat was an effort by the PKR to politicise the issue, Abdullah said: "Everything is possible. If there is no evidence or facts on the report, then it certainly can be considered as an attempt to politicise the issue."

Asked whether Wan Azizah had asked for the charge against Anwar to be dropped, Abdullah said he could not recall whether she had made the request.

"I don't recall she asked for that... what she did mention was that her husband be assured of safety and at the same time there should be no injustice caused to him," he said.

At the conclusion of the press conference, the Prime Minister again refuted that the Barisan Nasional government was involved in any political conspiracy against Anwar.

-- BERNAMA